Blood & Biohazard Cleanup Near Kit Carson Escondido, CA

Escondido's name is the Spanish word for 'hidden,' a nod to the shallow, secluded valley ringed by rocky hills where the city sits, about 30 miles northeast of downtown San Diego.

The town of Escondido was laid out in 1886 on the old Rancho Rincón del Diablo, an 1843 Mexican land grant, and it incorporated on October 8, 1888, making it one of the oldest cities in San Diego County.

The Escondido Land & Town Company bought the entire 12,814-acre rancho in 1886 to found the town, which grew as a shipping point for grapes, citrus, avocados, and other farm produce.

Escondido had a population of 151,038 in the 2020 census.

Escondido has about 50,346 households, with an average of 2.91 people per household.

The San Diego Zoo Safari Park, an 1,800-acre wildlife park where animals roam in large open habitats, sits in the San Pasqual Valley just outside Escondido and is the sister park of the San Diego Zoo.

Just southeast of Escondido, San Pasqual Battlefield State Historic Park marks the site of the 1846 Battle of San Pasqual, considered the bloodiest battle fought in California during the Mexican-American War.

The California Center for the Arts, Escondido anchors the city's downtown with theaters, a museum, and gardens.

Escondido's Kit Carson Park contains Queen Califia's Magical Circle, a colorful mosaic sculpture garden that was the last major international work of French artist Niki de Saint Phalle.

Grape Day Park, one of Escondido's oldest parks, is home to the Escondido History Center, with historic buildings and a vintage railroad depot.